'Anti-China Bloc' Targeted by Pompeo vs. Ambassador to the U.S. in Korea: "U.S. Is an Ally, China Is an Economic Partner"

South Korean Government Reiterates 'Balanced Diplomacy'... Stark Differences in Views on Relations with China
Pompeo Urges Allies to Join 'Anti-China Bloc' Consecutively

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] As the United States openly pursues the formation of an 'anti-China bloc' to curb China's expansion, a tense atmosphere has emerged on the 3rd (local time) between Ambassador Lee Soo-hyuk's remarks suggesting a balanced diplomacy between the U.S. and China, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's pressure on South Korea to join the bloc. The South Korean government's dilemma of navigating a delicate diplomatic tightrope between the U.S. and China while achieving practical balance is expected to deepen.

On the 3rd (local time), Ambassador Lee stated that in contemplating the future of the Korea-U.S. alliance, it is important to consider that the U.S. is South Korea's ally while China is a significant economic partner. At a virtual dialogue event hosted by George Washington University, he said, "How South Korea positions itself to cooperate with both countries while maintaining a strong alliance with the U.S. is a very important issue for the Korean government."

He reiterated the South Korean government's consistently stated principle of 'balanced diplomacy' toward both the U.S. and China. This aligns with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha's remarks at the diplomatic strategy adjustment meeting in late July, which emphasized, "In the security sector, we must firmly strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance while expanding our constructive role to enhance regional stability," and "In the economic and trade sectors, we should strengthen approaches that are fair, reciprocal, open, and inclusive."

Ambassador Lee said, "We need to reflect on the future of the Korea-U.S. alliance. In that process, it must be considered that the U.S. is our ally and China is one of our largest regional trading partners, that is, South Korea's geopolitical uniqueness must be taken into account," adding, "A country cannot survive on security alone. Economic activities are as important as security. Therefore, these two elements must go hand in hand."

Coincidentally, on the same day, the U.S. State Department released a press statement containing Secretary Pompeo's remarks urging allies such as South Korea, Australia, and Japan to participate in the 'anti-China bloc.' This confirmed the stark difference in perspectives between South Korea and the U.S. regarding 'balanced diplomacy' and 'alliance diplomacy' concerning relations with China.

Secretary Pompeo appeared on the America First program hosted by former White House National Security Council (NSC) Deputy Advisor Sebastian Gorka, stating, "China has long ripped off the United States, and President Donald Trump is the first president to acknowledge that the U.S. must respond," emphasizing, "Other countries have begun to join the U.S. efforts. Australia, Japan, South Korea, and even the European Union recognize the threat China poses to Europe." Recently, Pompeo has repeatedly urged allied countries to join the anti-China bloc through interviews with Fox News and other outlets.

The U.S. has been continuously urging its allies, including South Korea, to join the 'anti-China bloc.' The U.S.-China conflict, which began as a trade dispute, is expanding across political, military, and security fronts. Diplomatic circles predict that tensions will inevitably intensify at least until the U.S. presidential election in November. Notably, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. is accelerating the formation of the Economic Prosperity Network (EPN), an 'anti-China economic bloc,' and has proposed applying security frameworks like NATO to the Indo-Pacific region, aiming to establish a so-called 'Pacific NATO.'

The U.S. plan is expected to become more visible at a series of ASEAN-related foreign minister-level virtual meetings starting on the 9th. Secretary Kang Kyung-wha will attend these meetings, where Secretary Pompeo is scheduled to participate in the U.S.-ASEAN ministerial meeting, East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Mekong-U.S. Partnership foreign ministers' meeting, as well as hold bilateral talks with ASEAN foreign ministers.

The U.S. State Department, announcing Pompeo's virtual meeting schedule, stated, "We plan to share details of U.S. efforts to address priorities in the Indo-Pacific region and support a free and open region based on sovereignty and pluralism," showing the ASEAN bloc's willingness to unite in countering China.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.